Young Adult Carers in the UK - The Princess Royal Trust for Carers

Recommendations include:
1. The key factor to be considered in the development of services and interventions for
carers aged 16-17 and 18-24 years should be concerned with outcomes rather than
types of services and models. Commissioners and service providers should identify
clearly the outcomes to be achieved and delivered for these groups of carers.
2. A key principle for the development of services should be that young carers and
young adult carers, who wish to do so, are involved fully in planning services.
Executive Summary
3. Services for young carers under the age of 18 need to prepare young carers, especially
around the ages of 16+, for the next ‘phase’ in their life. This might include signposting
or referral to other service providers.
4. Young carers projects need to develop preparation programmes for young carers in
transition – this should include the issues most pertinent to them such as job/course
search skills, grant applications for university, CVs, first aid, cooking, benefits,
relationships, adult social care services etc.
5. Systems will need to be developed and put in place to monitor and evaluate interventions
and outcomes, using robust measures, instruments and tools that enable comparison
between interventions/services over time and place.
6. All agencies, but especially local authority services and carers services, should provide
young carers and young adult carers with information about their legal rights, including
the right to a carer’s assessment from the local authority, which is a potential gateway
to services and support for carers and their family.
7. Young carers projects in conjunction with adult carers and other services need to consider
the best ways to provide ‘seamless services’ to young carers after they reach 18. Young
carers projects need to build relationships and bridges with local adult carers services
to help adult services recognise and become more engaged with the needs of young
adult carers.
8. Universal services, such as schools and health care (especially primary health care)
have a role to play in supporting young carers and young adult carers alongside more
specialist provision. Universal service providers need to be more alert to the specific
needs of these carers and find ways to deliver their particular service to them.
9. Agencies that would not traditionally be associated with meeting the needs of carers also
need to identify and engage with young adult carers. So, for example, colleges, universities,
Job Centre Plus, employers, leisure services providers and others all need to be alert and
sensitive to the needs and issues confronting this group of hidden carers and which affect
their opportunities for further education and learning, leisure, careers and paid work.
10. Some young adult carers will be parents themselves and may need parenting support
in this role at the same time as they need support because of their ongoing caring
responsibilities to others.
11. The needs of young adult carers, and the outcomes that are required through service
interventions, need to be integrated fully into every local authority’s carer’s strategy.
12. Adult carers services need to address the barriers that are inhibiting carers aged
18-24 from using their service and address their own lack of relevance to this group
- as perceived by young adult carers themselves.
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